Well I readily admit that I've learned a good 75% of my total HT knowledge from this site alone. And believe me when I tell you that I researched HT exhaustively for years and years, even when I didn't have the money to spend on any of the stuff I researched, because high end audio has always truely fascinated me so much. The difference between all those years and the last year and 3 months is, I was never a part of a forum like this before. And jumping into a place like this with both feet and asking/inquiring/stating anything and everything that comes to your mind... well it's invaluable as far as learning is concerned. Go ahead, make a fool of yourself.... I have (do you remember my solving the age old problem of gravity... case and point), there's no better way to uncover real knowledge as far as I'm concerned.

And no, lurking around in the wood work for a year and a half before you make your very first post isn't going to do THAT much for your knowledge base. It may help some, but it's like sitting around listening to a couple of truely brilliant philosophers hashing out theories for hours a day, day in and day out for as long as you could stand doing so. Sure you'll learn a thing or two, but not nearly as much as you'd learn if you had the opportunity to jump right in there with them and let forth everything you know (or thought you knew) so that they could correct any ignorances you may have, plus give you the opportunity to really pick their minds for things that to them may seem elementary, but would clear up things that have baffled you for the better part of your life. Participation is huge.

We all have to start somewhere. There is still many more times as many things that I don't know then what I do know... but I can't express how much better off I am at this point than I was on 11/16 of 2008. Even thought I thought I was REALLY on top of everything back then. One example of the sort of knowledge I've gained from this site... when I first came here I was interested in stuff like finding out which of those ultra premium wires you read about in audio magazines were really, truely the very best at giving your system the biggest advantage over your neighbor's MonsterCable set-up... now I know that even worrying about such things is as big a sign of ignorance as it gets.

I must say though, the best, most insightful 'first post' I've read so far in 9 pages has been...

Actually, got the Vita-Mix Professional Series CIA (Model 1709). It's the basis for the 5200, but a restaurant-grade finish, and a $50 savings for being the no-nonsense version. (Sort of like Onkyo Pro vs. Integra.)

I saw the 5200 being demoed at Costco, and I thought of you. I think it was $394.99 or around there. So you basically paid that much but got a restaurant-grade finish? How much difference does the finish actually make? Just curious.